Various types of adjustable partition walls are known. For example, a partition wall is used which can be rolled along over the top side of two mutually opposing, vertical walls of the swimming pool basin and which, when out of use, is moved to one of the end-face ends of the swimming pool basin and is store there, for example, in a niche. Another known type which is relevant to the present invention relates to a "lowerable partition wall" as it is known. This can be moved downward in a retracted state to well below the water level in order to offer swimmers sufficient space to swim past the partition wall. To this end, the partition wall is housed, for example, in a recess in the swimming pool bottom.
As a result of the various requirements which are placed upon a partition wall, for example the facility to walk across it, the facility to attach swimming lines for the division into competition lanes, as well as the facility to allow a swimmer to push off from the partition wall, it must essentially be dimensionally stable. Generally, the partition wall comprises for this purpose an oblong, beam-shaped body, for example constructed from a steel frame covered with plastics panels.
It has hitherto been usual to fasten the partition wall, of whichever type, by its end-face extremities to the mutually opposing, vertical walls of the swimming pool basin. The partition wall of the lowerable type, for the upward and downward movement between the operative state and the retracted state, was guided for this purpose by its end-face ends along a rail guide on the respective vertical wall of the swimming pool basin.
This known method of fastening the partition wall to the bearing structure of the swimming pool basin has certain drawbacks attached to it. In the first place, the partition wall, which is held fast at its extremities, is subjected to considerable bending stress resulting from the tensions of the different swimmer lines attached to the partition wall. In the second place, the presence of the rail guide on the vertical walls of the swimming pool basin is visually unattractive. Apart from this, this rail guide is unreliable. The fact that the rail guide, primarily due to visual aspects, is often designed to be recessed in the vertical wall of the swimming pool basin allows dirt to accumulate therein, which can suddenly result in the guide becoming blocked. In addition, a rail guide of this type carries a risk of injury to swimmers, especially children, who are always fascinated by cracks, fissures, etc. in swimming pools with a view, for example, to sticking their fingers in there.